WHEELING

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 5199, 13 February 1904, Page 14

WHEELING

CB y “Austral.”) Major Taylor’s riding at Newcastle last week is said to have been exceptiomally brilliant. and it is sa,ti» factory to know that the club which negotiated far Ids appearance made over £IOO by the venture. Taylor seems t<i bo a great draw everywhere he goes, and is at present in demand all over the States. The Club at Christchurch netted over £4OO during his visit a few weeks back. A well-known Sydney writer pr£ diets that C. H. Brook, tho youth whv won the big Ihmlop New South Wades

road race from Goulburn to Sydney last July in record time, will develop into a champion. Young Brook, wlho hails from Goulburn (N.S.W.), is show|ing good form on the Sydney track, and with a Jittlo more experience, will prove that he is as good on tho racing track as tho road.

Tho now English motor byo-laws aro now in force. According to this act motorists in England may pleaso themselves os to what pace they travel on tho road up to 20 miles on hour, provided they aro not endangering tho public safety; of course this docs not mean that they can rido through crowded thoroughfares at this speed. This is the common sense point cf view taken hy the British Government, who, after exhaustive inquiries and tests, have satisfied themselves that a motor at this pace, when in competent hands, is easier handled and safer than any horso drawn vehicle at 10 miles an hour. Horseowners and drivers when in trouble with a fractious horse immediately put the blame on tho speed of tho car or motor cycle. This is not so, speed has no bearing on tho subject- at all. It is tho strangeness of tho car that causes most of tho trouble, and tho slight "droning” of the engine to a lesser degree. That this is so one only wants to stand a motor car at tho road-side «.nd watch the movements of tho different horses passing. Those used to the sight of cars pass -without taking any notice, but tho horso unfamiliar with tho lines of the automobile immediately upon sighting tho car starts to “playnp.” This trouble can only be overcome by time; and tho morn motor vehicles that got about our roads tho sooner will tho difficulty disappear. Motorists ihould show every consideration for (horse drivers, and do all in their power towards assisting any driver who has trouble with a fractious horse. By taking this course motorists will gradually tarn tho good-will of the horse owners. Accordingly to a usually well-inform-ed English trade journal, several German firms intend to imitate tho United fjtatea business men Who first started opening wholesale depots in Australasia, since which time the sale of American wnd Canadian cycles has enormously increased. The Australian retailer can order his machines and spare parts at short notice from these depots, whereas otherwise it takes months before an order can bo executed and the goods delivered to the purchasers. T.ho appeal of McFarland, one of the trio of craok American cyclists who came out to Australia some months ago, was considered by the council of the -V.S.tV. League. There was a full attendance of members, the choir being occupied by the president, Mr it. S. Bray. Mr McFarland was present, as also were his witnesses, Messrs Lawson, 11. Mutton, lad H. Downing. In describing the race in which he was disqualified, McFarland »tated that as he passed Farley, Mutton, and others in the final round, he heard the former shouting to Taylor, and as he got level with Gudgeon the latter went on to tho grass in order to allow Taylor to get on Ids (MacFarland’s) wheel. Ho stated that when ho got Wei with Taylor, tho latter went on to the grass of his own accord, though trying to get on his wheel before Lawson. MaoFarland repudiated the statement that he had out Taylor down, and said that even had ho done so it was unintentional. B. Mutton, who was called as a witness hy MacFariand. stated that he saw Taylor run on to the grass, but the fault was not due to MacFariand, Taylor was always either looking round or under his arm. and wobbling. Ho had a habit of running out owing to his anxiety in watching his opponents in a race. Witness had seen the race from the start, and was keeping his ©ye on the leading men in the final round. He considered that MacFariand did not run Taylor on to the gross, but thought that the latter got off the track through at.tempting to get MaoFarlan'd’s wheel hum Lawson. Hardy Downing, in his remarks, stated that ho followed MaoFarland and Lawson right through the raoo in question. Taylor had a habit of gazing round, and this caused him to wobble. He had even soon Taylor rido on the grass when training, and when no one was near him. Ho corroborated Mutton’s account of Taylor getting on the grass through attempting to get MacJfarland’s wheel from Lawson. Ivor Lawson, the final witness for the defence, stated that tho running of Taylor on the grass was due entirely to bis wobbling. Taylor had a very bad

habit of looking round, and under his arm at his opponents, and this caused all the trouble. In hia opinion Taylor had any amount of room. MacFariand was quite a clear length ahead of lay* lor when the latter left the track. It was Taylor’s own riding that made him go on the grass, and ho was quite convinced tnat MacFariand did not interfere witli Taylor in any way. Tho council, after a long discussion, decided that tho stewards and referee were within their rights in disqualifying MacFariand, hut as it> would he a warning to riders in future they decided to give tho American the alternative of serving tho remaining throe weeks of his disqualification or pay a fine of £25 and have it removed.